Has anyone used joebonsai's potting medium? i recently repotted one of my trees and it doesn't seem to be draining well. was there anything i was supposed to do to the soil before or after that i may be missing. i would hate to throw it out?
soil problems
- Thread starter mersino
- Start date
John Ruger
Shohin
- Messages
- 470
- Reaction score
- 2
Which one did you get? there are a few different grades. When you say it isn't draining well, what do you mean? Is it sloppy, sopping wet?
John Ruger
Shohin
- Messages
- 470
- Reaction score
- 2
It looks ok and sounds like it retains moisture well. If you are worried about the mix, there are many other really well blended soils. Before I started making my own compositions, I use to get it from Stone Lantern-they have some excellent soil mixes...that's just one of many decent sources.
When I first started in bonsai, I bought the fujiyama soil mix from Dallas Bonsai and had a very similar experience. I did not like that kind of soil at all, and now use a mix that is pretty close to 100% inorganic with great results. It might be worth looking into whether you can pick up locally soil components like turface, pumice, lava, haydite, chicken grit, etc. Not sure what's available in the Florida area though.
Bill S
Masterpiece
This actually sounds like the soil is really dry, this happens until the soil has a water content, too often when the soil dries out it can be hard to wet it again, simply because it was dry. It's one thing if this happens once, maybeeee twice I'd expcect that, after that I would say it is too fine of a soil if it keeps doing what you explained.
When this happens your tree is in danger, the water can and will drain around the soil, out the holes, and the tree dries dead. When the soil sheds water, this is one of the few time to soak the tree pot and all in a bucket of water, then water it "normally".
Does this stuff look like potting soil, or aquarium gravel???
